Beyond the Edge of Horizon
by sharkisser
Summary: He only knew her name, and the fact that she wasn't a normal human, being capable of walking on water and all. She saved his life, and although the memory would linger in his mind for a long time, it was very unlikely that he'd ever see her again. Nevertheless, he sought her, and along the way, the truth regarding 'Ship Girls' and 'The Abyssals' began to unravel...
1. Angel

**Beyond the Edge of Horizon**

Prologue - _"You called me Angel"_

* * *

All around him was salty water rising up and down as if lulling him to sleep. The sky and the sea were painted fiery gold by the setting sun, yet he could not rise his head to appreciate the beauty of it all.

Sousuke Yashida was dying, but he was not afraid about it. Fear of death is the luxury of those who still have hopes to continue on living, and Sousuke no longer had any. He only had a piece of wooden board to hold onto and his grip had begun to slip. He had spent all his remaining strength futilely trying to swim towards the shore, but winds and waves kept pushing him further away. His throat was dry, worsened by involuntarily drinking sea water from time to time. His injuries hurt, numbing his senses.

No, he was not afraid. He was regretful and wondering again and again if being killed by those monsters would have been a better way to meet his end. To have your life drained out slowly was painful. So painful, now he just wished for it to end.

"I guess this is it..."

The man mumbled out, though what reached his ears was more like a buzz of a dying bug, which he supposed was appropriate enough. And so, he allowed his hands to relax and let his body fell into the embrace of mother ocean. He hoped he would fall asleep just as the water entered his lungs and stomach and eventually choking his throat to death. Closing his eyes slowly, the last thing he saw was the distant horizon, glowing marvelously as if waving goodbye...

… And a shadowy, vaguely humanoid figure, coming his way.

"Survivor! There's a survivor!"

He heard a human's voice in the middle of the sea.

As absurd as he subconsciously realized that it was, hearing it was all that a dying Sousuke needed. Will of life that he didn't know he still possessed resurface; a desperate burst of strength to pull himself back up to the floating wreckage as he shouted for help. Of course, he was not quite sure if he made out proper words or just senseless noise, but someone did come for him.

A girl.

A girl was standing on the water, cladding in what looked like a shrine maiden outfit, and packing a large machinery on her back. She flashed him an astonished look before quickly reached for his hands just as strength left him and he began to fall back to the water. She then knelt down and rested his back on her lap with her left arm pillowing his head and her right hand holding his.

"You're safe now, Mister. Haruna and Haruna's friends are here. You'll be fine."

Her words were soft, calming, and reassuring. Sousuke couldn't help but smiling, despite his fading vision and weakening muscles. Her face was so close to his and so beautiful. Her gentle eyes watching over him, her thin lips smiling brilliantly. So, so beautiful, just like...

"… angel. Thank you... angel..."

Satisfied that he managed to express his gratitude, Sousuke Yashida finally allowed himself to give in to exhaustion and fainted on the Angel's lap.

* * *

 **Notes** : First of all, forget game mechanics. Some aspects of the game just aren't easy to adapt in literary form and I'm not an exceptional enough writer to pull it off. I hope you'd understand, but do feel free to give me idea and suggestion to make the story more interesting. Criticisms regarding the characterization, the writing, and the narrative are happily welcomed.

As for the story itself, this isn't meant to be a romance between our OC and Haruna. Though who knows what I'd decide to do at later dates. This is really a spur of the moment idea I had that won't refuse to leave me until I write it out. Is it enjoyable and worth continuing? You decide.


	2. Waking Up

"We found nobody else. He is the only survivor," said Shiranui right after she returned from scouting the site along with Yuubari, as matter-of-factly as usual. However, her expression became downcast as she added, "... We were too late."

"Enough, Shiranui. Don't dwell on it," said Yahagi. "Let's focus on what we can do for now. Stay on guard."

"Yes, Yahagi-senpai."

Shiranui, Shouhou, Yahagi, and Yuubari stood back-to-back on the lookout, facing the four general directions. Turrets and torpedoes at the ready. In the middle of their formation, the survivor was being treated by Haruna and Akashi. Haruna secured him on her lap as Akashi treated his wounds.

Akashi washed the burns and cuts all over his body with seawater. The water cupped by her hands turned green as tea and a bit gelatinous. All the wounds touched by it healed in a flash with a wisp of smoke; like a clothes being ironed. She then fed three drops of the green water into his mouth. That done, she put her hand on his chest and gave it a light push.

For a split second, green light visibly flared under his skin; a lightning coursing through his veins.

Akashi wiped the sweats off her forehead. "I've done all I can for now. All critical injuries is now fixable with light treatments and I've rejuvenated his body so his fatigue won't cause anything fatal."

"If only he could know what you've done for him, Akashi-san..." said Yuubari.

Akashi laughed. "Hey, we wouldn't be much of secret guardians of humanity if he could."

There were a series of laughter at that. Even Yahagi allowed herself a suppressed chuckle and Shiranui flashed a small smile if only for a blink of an eye. Haruna on the other hand, shook her head. "He did see Haruna, though. Haruna was too hasty."

"Eh, if Nagato raise a fuss about it, I'll support you. What were we supposed to do at that situation? Waiting on the sideline until he collapsed completely? Every second counts!"

"Thank you, Akashi-san. But that's not what Haruna worries about. It's him..." she looked at the face of the man on her lap. He seemed to be sleeping in peace now, whereas previously he seemed to suffer and holding back pains. "Haruna hopes he will just think I was nothing but hallucination and continue living normally."

"... Yeah. Let's hope so."

"Guys," said Shouhou suddenly. "My recon plane saw a rescue boat five miles up north. It's heading this way."

Yahagi took it as a cue. "Time to leave. Let's put him onto something he could float on. Shiranui, it's gonna turn dark soon, so put a light stick on him."

They ended up putting him back onto the wooden board Haruna had found him on, but laying him on his back now so that he would not fall. The light stick Shiranui put in his right fist glowing a faint yellow.

"Good luck, Mister," said Haruna before she and her fellow teammates departed. "Have a good and peaceful life."

And with that, the six girls cruised through the darkening sea, disappearing before any living eyes could see.

* * *

 **Beyond the Edge of Horizon**

 _"I am nothing but a dream to you"_

* * *

Before he knew it, he was standing on the stern of a boat. All around him was nothing but blue sea. The sky was all white with neither clouds or the sun in sight and the wind was breezing. The deck underneath him rocked about, but there was no movement. The boat was afloat in place.

He decided to walk around, exploring. The boat was big, a ferry, he would guess. However, there was nobody else on deck. He peeked into the locked bridge and found it empty too.

"I'm on a ghost ship," he said, feeling uneasy.

He kept on walking along the starboard until he reached the bow. His heart skipped a bit as he found somebody there. A long-haired girl was leaning upon the railings, looking forward onto the sea. Somehow, she seemed familiar. Had they met somewhere in the past?

He was about to approach her, but as he took one step forward, he heard, "Mama! Look! There are dolphins!"

The voice sent a shiver down his spine. Dread gripped him, a sinking feeling to his stomach and a quickened heartbeats. He ran to the port without knowing why and there he saw the "dolphins".

Black beings, shaped like fishes but definitely weren't. Their movement was too sharp, their course too straight, their speed to fast. He heard them roaring, and the whole boat trembled with them. He ran back, trying to reach the girl, and when he spotted her again, he heard a series of explosions.

The impact knocked him off his feet, but he got up and ran again. He reached out his hand and called out for the girl desperately. The name just came into his mouth the moment he shouted it.

"Angel...!"

Around him, the boat was being destroyed. Cracks spreading, the deck collapsing. Debris; woods and metal and glasses, shot at every direction. He got hit several times and stumbled, but he pressed on. On the other hand, the girl just standing still. Calm and serene.

She only moved when his bloody hand finally reached hers. She turned at him with a smile upon her beautiful face. The smile that looked like that of a lost child finding the way back home. A lover reuniting with her mate. She spoke then, her lips moving, but her voice was mute. He couldn't hear what she said, so he tried to read her lip.

"Ad... mi... ral...?" he said in confusion.

And then everything was washed away by a bright light.

"Uh..."

He opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was a ceiling and fluorescent light. All blurry and starry at first, but gradually became clearer. His body was heavy and he was too weak to move it. His head throbbed painfully as he tried to turned his neck. However, he ignored it. The light above was too bright for his eyes and he wanted to know where he was.

There was a chair next to the bed he was lying on, and sleeping upon it was an old woman. A minute or so, as he became more awake and alert, he recognize who she was.

"Mom..." he said. His voice was hoarse as his throat dry. He moved his hand, reaching out to her. Bandages wrapped his forearm and a transparent tube was inserted into the back of his hand. _I'm at a hospital_.

His mother stirred awake after he pulled at her sleeve. She seemed confused and disoriented at first and then her mouth opened and closed rapidly. The edges of her lips raised upward, forming a smile that only grew wider. "S-Sousuke?" she said, trembling. Tears began to form in her eyes.

It wouldn't be nice otherwise, so he smiled too. "Hello, Mom..."

* * *

 **Notes** : This chapter is supposed to be longer, with total 2k+ words. I found the rest to be unsatisfying, so I rewrote them. Unfortunately, I failed to finish the rewrite in time before I have to leave town for a two weeks boot camp. So, I made this with all that I have had at the ready. I'm sorry for this, and I apologize too, that because of said boot camp, the next chapter won't come until the last third of August. That is, if everything goes without a hitch.

So, tell me what you think. Is it any good? Where do I need to improve on?

Until next time, see you!


	3. Summer Days

**Kantai Collection and its characters are properties of Kadokawa. Any person name, event, and location mentioned in this story is completely fictional. All resemblances with real life might found in it are purely coincidental and serve as nothing more than means to build the narrative.**

* * *

 **A Battle in the Middle of Summer - Somewhere Northeast of Philippines Sea  
**

"Spotted them. Now calculating their distance to the striking point," Kaga's toneless voice came through the intercom attached to her headgear.

Haruna took another deep breath. The sea was calm with hardly a cloud gathering on the sky above, but it couldn't uplift the suffocating tension. Somewhere beyond the horizon, the enemies were closing in towards the land. The time between them entering their line of sight and the first strike would be slim. No mistakes were allowed in this ambush, if they wanted to keep it as an ambush and not a straight-on open battle.

"Don't be so tense. Relax your breathing and be calm," she said to the young destroyer standing to her left. The girl had been trembling for a while. This was her first real battle.

"Yes, Haruna-sa... I mean, Ma'am." The destroyer, Ushio, nodded awkwardly.

Haruna checked on her other teammates. Being the most experienced among the destroyers, Shiranui seemed fine. Heavy cruiser Takao sent her an affirmative nod. Yuubari never let her gaze stray off the distant sea.

"We all protect each others in this battle, Ushio-san."

"Understood, Ma'am."

The new destroyer still sounded stiff.

It was funny, being addressed so formally. Pity that she had to keep a straight face through this. A smile might be good to diffuse the anxious air, but it was unbecoming for a flagship. However, she was not Nagato, who could encourage her comrades with authoritative voice. _Ah, what to do?_

"Five targets incoming. One Wo-class Aircraft Carrier, most likely the flagship. One Ri-class Heavy Cruiser. One He-class Light Cruiser. Two I-class Destroyers. They should be visible with naked eyes in the count of ten, nine, eight..."

Kaga's sudden announcement shook her off. Now there was no room for unnecessary thoughts.

"Ushio-san."

"Y-yes?"

"You can do this. Everything's going to be fine."

Ushio blinked in confusion. Haruna only nodded in response and turned her attention back upon the would-be-battlefield, leaving the destroyer to her own device. Courage is planted with trust, and she wanted to trust her new comrade that she would be able to do her best today.

"Four..." Kaga continued counting. Haruna closed her eyes and focused on her senses. Connected to her back was her rigging; a miniaturized yet fully functional battleship shaped into exoskeletal machinery structure. Enormous and heavy, but never a burden. Her trusty weapon. A part of her; an extension to her human body. Right now, they must bend to her will and become one; the machine parts and the human mind, the guns and the nerves, the purpose and the goal.

Connected. Connected. And connected. A surge of energy ran all over Haruna's veins, empowering her beyond human's imagining.

In that moment, she became a weapon to slay monsters.

In that moment, she became a guardian of humanity.

In that moment, she became a battleship.

"Two..."

Haruna opened her eyes. Around her, her comrades were mostly just as ready as she was. Kaga had drawn her bow, an arrow aimed at the spot where the enemies would show themselves. Shiranui, Takao, and Yuubari lowered their stance, their guns and torpedoes at the ready. Only Ushio seemed nervous, but compared to moments before, she was better.

"One."

Emerging from the blue thin line were black dots. They grew bigger as they drew near. The enemy fleet.

"Aim..." Haruna whispered a command to herself. The turrets on her rigging worked the 35,6 cm guns into position then; the muzzles now aimed at the general direction of the enemies.

Another second passed by. The dots' actual shapes became more realized. Out of five incoming, three of them were pretty much humanoid, albeit bizarre, with something inherently inhumane about them. They were stark white, silent, and cold. Originating from area beneath the ocean yet untouched by men, they existed for the sole purpose of demolishing the entire human civilization.

Abyssal Fleet they were named, and towards the land they were heading, currently oblivious to the fact that a line of defense was fully prepared to halt their advance.

"Haruna-san, anytime now," said Kaga, her sharp eyes observed the targets without blinking.

"On my mark..."

Haruna was the one with the furthest range of attack among them and therefore, she had to be the one to fire the opening salvo. She watched the movements of the targets intently and her guns adjusted their aims accordingly. The distance and timing to reach them must be calculated precisely. Far enough to catch them off guard, but also near enough to allow her comrades to immediately launch follow up attacks.

Suddenly, one of the target moved its head; a cold, murky gray eye glanced right at her.

"Main guns! Commence firing!" she shouted.

All noises was sucked into the void as the guns roared with fire and smoke. The explosions sent tremors throughout Haruna's body and she was pushed back by the impact. Away in front of the enemy fleet, the water burst out to every direction by the shock wave, prompting them to break off their formation.

The He-class light cruiser, a bulking conjoined pair of giants which had nothing on its black stony faces but mouths, was hit. It stumbled as it held its torn arm. The Ri-class heavy cruiser, a black haired young woman far smaller than He-class, reeled back in confusion, distancing herself away from a white haired girl holding a black cane with a cape attached on her back and an eldritch monster sitting atop her head, the Wo-class standard aircraft carrier.

 _We've gained the initiative_ , Haruna realized. There was no moment to spare. It was all or nothing now.

"Charge! For victory!" she shouted as loud as she could.

Right then, the sea erupted into a chaotic battle zone. Torpedoes sped through the water and firing guns shook the air as the abyssals roared their death cries.

* * *

 **Beyond the Edge of Horizon**

"When any lie sounds more believable than the truth"

* * *

"Sousuke, could you pass by the market and buy me some eggs? I forgot to get them when I went shopping yesterday," asked his mother, who was preparing to cook for the diner.

"Sure thing, Mom, how many do you need?" he answered as he tied his shoelace.

His mother gave him several bills and told him to buy ten and then went back to the kitchen. He stretched his legs, shifting his weigh around, and then took off running. To differ from yesterday's route, he chose to run up north towards the hills overlooking the town and then turned down east, treading the path along the beach. He slowed down as the sea came into view and looked it over.

An image of a young woman flashed in his mind, but nobody was actually there standing on the water like the way he remembered her.

"Dang it..."

It still felt as stupid and embarrassing as ever, this delusional episode of his.

"Hey! Yashida-san! Good morning!"

Turning around, he found the one who just called him out then sighed in slight disappointment. It was a girl, sure, and quite a pretty one of that. But she was not _the girl_. She was the kind of person you could easily pick out of a crowd. Her rather long, perpetually messy dark hair was always tied into a high ponytail and it was not done any differently now. Her clothes were always of the casual kind; this morning she wore a thin layered, bright yellow shirt full of random English words and blue jeans shorts, and a pair of brown rubber sandals.

He noticed a camera in her hand. Sousuke frowned. He half-seriously hoped this was nothing but a chance meeting and not her specifically waiting for his arrival by mapping out his movements.

 _Can't never be too cautious. She is a journalist after all._

The girl smiled widely, waved at him, and after seeing him stopping, ran to him.

"Good morning, Aoba-san," he said. This time he managed to say her name without stumbling. The first time he met her, he found her masculine name at odds with how she looked, so much so that he had thought she was a effeminate young man.

"Jogging?" the girl, Aoba, asked, now standing just about three feet away in front of him. He shrugged; may as well saying "duh".

"And I suppose you're here for some photography stuff, then?"

He tilted his head at the DSLR camera hanging around her neck. She took it up, grinning. "I've been here since before dawn. Chasing sunrise," she said proudly. "This island has beautiful sunrise."

Sousuke glanced at the skyline.

The day was coming, albeit slowly. The sun had already risen for long enough. It shone brightly just inches above the distant straight line of the sea, seemingly blending with the cloudy sky. He supposed it would have been beautiful for you, provided you don't see it everyday.

"There are plenty of places with beautiful sunrise. I don't know how the one we have here is anything special."

"There's no sunrise that's completely the same as others before it."

"Most people don't care about it. It's just the beginning of the day."

"That's why I'm here with my camera."

"Why?" he asked.

Tilting her head, she answered like she had thought it up long ago. "So that people care. So that it can be admired and remembered, even though it lasted for just a fleeting moment."

"I see..."

It flashed in the back of his mind again, the time he had been dying out in the sea.

He wished he had had a camera with him, then. Preferably with enough strength and conscious mind to take a picture of _her_. One would have been fine, just so he could take a look at it from time to time to confirm whether she was real or not. Just to make her image stop lingering in his mind every single time and driving him crazy.

Aoba waved her hand in front of his face. "Yashida-san? Uh, you're kind of daydreaming right now..."

He jumped back in surprise. "Oh, sorry. Just thinking about... something."

She blinked quizzically and then smiled widely. "Huh? Are you finally agreeing to tell me your story?" It was hard to tell if this was her kidding around or truly meaning it. "Can I have my interview?"

He shook his head. "No. I'm not changing my mind here. There's no good story for you to report."

So not worth telling, he hadn't even told it to his own mother. He wasn't sure how she would react if she learned of his fairy-tale like way of surviving the Pacific. Not that he wanted to find out, for that matter.

 _There's only an unbelievable story. Nothing worth reading for._

The wind blew quite hard. Aoba put her hand to her head, keeping her bangs from billowing wildly. She then pressed on, "Accidents like the one you've had keep happening, Yashida-san, and the number keeps piling up. The last one was five days ago. A fishing boat with five men crew. Three men suffered heavy injuries, one died, one lost at sea."

"I know. I watched the news," he said. A bit too sharply, because he lied. He hadn't actually watched any news these past two weeks. The news scared him. Pictures of ship wreckage floating on the sea and pictures of dead and missing people scared him.

"You're the only one so far who have seen what truly happened. People are still debating over the cause of these disasters, and none of their ideas made complete sense. If you would just tell what you've seen, maybe some preventive measures can be built."

He shook his head. A bitter feeling of guilt crept up his throat. Still, he hesitated to state the truth. He could not imagine what kind of measures were necessary for the kind of threat he had seen, if the threat was even real at all.

"... Monsters."

"Huh?"

"It wasn't actually an engine failure or fuel leakage or reef crashing like most people think. We were attacked by sea monsters."

Aoba stared at him incredulously. "Yashida-san, is this some kind of joke?" she asked after a while.

 _I wish it is_.

The way Aoba was frowning stung him right inside. All willingness to continue talking vanished, Sousuke shook his head and walked away. "I shouldn't be having this conversation first thing in the morning. Excuse me, Aoba-san," he said, without looking at her.

After several tens of feet or so, he broke into a run. Aoba didn't call for him or moved after him.

 _Of course_ , he thought. _She thinks I'm a loon now_.

Once he reached home, he remembered that he had forgotten about the eggs his mother had asked for.

* * *

Aoba hadn't had her phone with her when she left the inn for sunrise-hunting. Now that she had returned, she found missed calls mounting. All of them came from her editor. With a sigh of submission, she called back.

It got accepted almost instantly.

"Hello? Aoba? Where the hell have you been?"

Aoba could hear a barely restrained anger from his voice. She could just imagine him scribbling furiously on a scrap paper now. "Uh, yeah, sorry, Juza-san. I was doing some photography practice."

"Photo-? ... Oh well, never mind. Have you gotten the story? I haven't received any update from you these last two days. You better tell me something good."

She felt a knot forming down her stomach. "Er, yeah, about that... I... haven't gotten anything... so... uh... yeah?"

A silence. She guessed Juza was working on discerning what she just said.

"You don't have anything? After I worked on all the money for your travels and logistic, which I remind you, has gone well over budget not to mention very perilously close to _our_ deadline? Now you are telling me that it was all for naught?"

Dreading on what was coming, Aoba said, "... uh, not really, but, yeah, so far I have nothing," and then moved her cellphone as far away from her ear as her arm could afford to.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO GIVE ME ULCERS, YOU LITTLE RASCAL!?"

 _Are you trying to destroy my eardrums, you big lump of talking meat!?_

Had she not held her cellphone as tightly, it would have fallen off from the shock. Editor Ryutaro Juza's infamous shouting volume had been known to allegedly cause an unknowing mailman to suffer from asphyxiation.

"I don't care anymore. You either get the story or take a picture of some exotic beast in that island and bring it to me the next Monday. If we are going to get a pay-cut from this, I want to make sure that our credibility still intact. The Editor-in-Chief has to receive something that at the very least still worth publishing. Understand!?"

"... Yes, Sir."

She heard Juza heaving a long sigh. He then spoke again with calmer voice. "So, what the heck is wrong with you? Catching any rural sickness?"

Aoba tried really hard to suppress a series of profanities from escaping her mouth. "Unfortunately not, Juza-san. I've been well and healthy." She walked over to the window at the end of the room. The outside view was that of a wide, gold-tinted rice field nearing the time for harvest. Further away was a row of plain square houses with slanted roof, connected by dirt pathways.

The island was as rural as any definition of rural.

"What's the trouble, then? Your source is uncooperative or something?" said Juza.

"Yeah. He has been adamant on not telling me anything. He even made some tasteless tale to drive me off."

"What tale? How tasteless?"

"He told me that the disaster was caused by monster attack. Godzilla or Kraken, maybe. I didn't ask."

"... Come again?"

There was a hint of curiosity in his voice which Aoba didn't expect. Juza should have either laughed it off or changed the topic. "Uh, yeah, he was so not wanting to tell me anything that he just said it was a kaiju attack."

"Hang on a second."

"Huh?"

Her editor did not say anything anymore, but she heard the sound of hard tapping which she assumed to be his putting the phone on the table, followed by a series of furious button pressing. _Is he on his computer?_

"Aoba?" he was back on the phone half a minute later.

"Yes?"

"Somebody in 2chan claimed to be a survivor of a recent sea accident. And guess what? This guy also said some things about sea monsters. Now he's being bullied by the anons, the stupid bastard."

Aoba couldn't believe what she just heard. "Juza-san, you visit 2chan?"

She could swear she heard a whisper that said _oh, crud_ from the phone. "... uh, shut up. That's irrelevant for now," said Juza.

Aoba gulped. The image of the burly editor blushing over a phone call was disturbing.

"A-Anyway," he continued, "Try to follow up on his nonsense. See if the story he give you matches these posts. We might get to tell some truth here."

"Err... I can't see where you're going with this, but sir... anonymous image boards are not reliable source of information. With the sea disasters keep happening, some people are bound to make up wild stories and..."

"What?! Are you a dunce or something!? Of course it's just some crazy stories made up by a bunch of a-holes! But, hear hear, what we are going to do here, is to show to the mass that someone who experienced a traumatic ordeal are bound to become one of those a-holes!"

"Huh?"

"Don't you 'huh' me! Can't you see the connection already? Some guy who claimed to be a survivor posted some stories about sea monster in the internet hours before the only known survivor told you the same bull crap?"

"Are you saying that Yashida-san is... the poster?"

"Yeah, Sherlock. And given that he fled to his hometown before anyone could have a chance to ask him anything, to talk to him or what have you, this revelation is ripe with follow-up stories. Imagine the titles: A Survivor Succumbs to Delusions to Cope with Trauma, or Reasons Why Psychiatry for the Traumatized is Important - A Grown Man Runs to Imageboards to Cry His Heart Out!"

"I... I think... no, I mean... it sounds like some sensationalist journalistic, Sir. Isn't that what we should be trying to avoid?"

"Aoba. You _are_ working for a sensationalist tabloid. I tried to give you the chance to prove that you're above that stigma and look where it got us. You screwed us by screwing it up. I'm trying to save our asses here, by giving you more options to work with. Either you do as I suggest, or find me something better. Your choice. But need I remind you, you have to give me something by Monday, or else our careers are doomed. Well, yours even more doomed than mine. Got it?"

"... err..."

"I said: got it?"

"... fine. I get it."

"Alright. Now you better be working on it."

He hung up. Aoba let her phone beeped for a while before turning it off and threw it onto the bed. She closed her eyes as a wind breezed in through the window. A long sigh escaped her mouth. There was a sudden heaviness in her chest, the cause of which she knew all too well.

She had been reminded once again that there was still a long gap between what she wanted to be and what she was now. And the gap was not closing, not even an inch.

"Well, let's see him at lunch," she muttered, stretching her back. Then she searched her luggage for change of clothes and toiletries.

Summer heat lingered all over her, more discomforting than ever, especially after that phone call. A cold bath should be nice for now.

* * *

At half past twelve, no more customer came to the diner. Sousuke helped his mother cleaning up the place. As she washed the plates and tableware down in the kitchen, he swept the floor.

His father had designed the diner to be just comfortable enough for the people of the island -who were mostly farmers and fishermen- to eat in. It was small -being a hastily added extension of their house and all, square in shape, and its walls were painted white with no accessories attached. They had four serving table prepared, each one surrounded by four wooden chairs. The menus consisted of varieties of rice with quick to make and easily heat up side dishes. Really far from fancy.

Still, the diner was what had allowed his mother to feed him and pay for his education even after his father's passing. As much as he disliked how plain it was, he was quite attached to the place and wished to preserve it.

"I haven't seen Aoba-chan, today," said his mother as she sat herself on one of the chairs. "Has she gone home without saying goodbye to us?"

 _Possibly_ , he thought.

"I don't think she would," he said. "Not empty-handed, at least."

Ever since her arrival three days ago, Aoba had grown friendly with his mother. She frequently came to have lunch and afternoon snacks in their dinner. That girl had even taken some snapshots of his mother at work, cheerfully complimenting how beautiful and youthful she looked in her orange kimono, white apron, and long ponytail. He wanted to hit his head on the wall from just recalling it.

Sousuke drove the dirt he had been sweeping out of the door. He shut the door and put away his broom before sat down across his mother.

"And I thought you'd open up to such a pretty girl. You really don't want to tell her your story? At all?"

"More like, I don't think my story is worth telling."

"I wonder if it's true," his mother shook her head. "You are your father's son. It's been evident since you were small."

"I've always been Dad's son. Heck, all boys are their fathers' sons, now that I think about it."

"See? Down to that sassy tongue. You are just like him."

Sousuke felt tired already. "So, what is this resemblance between me and Dad that I need to know of?"

"Let's see... you both decide to keep silent when it matters the most," said her mother, giving him a measuring glance. "And you both sadden me by keeping everything to yourselves."

"What are you talking about?" Sousuke asked. His father was an infamous blabbermouth. Not a minute with him could be spent without hearing his speaking about anything. His youth. The way he met his wife and the start of their marriage life. His adventures at sea, more often exaggerated than not.

Sousuke couldn't imagine his father keeping any kind of secret.

His mother looked straight onto the blank white wall as she spoke. "I'm talking about the time when he, all of a sudden, decided to build this diner. He never told me about his kidney condition. He only said that he would like to retire off seaman's life and work together with me at home.

"Well, as you can see, he did not make good of that promise. He passed soon after this place was completed. I understand that he kept the truth secret to not make me worry, and that he built me this place so that I can keep on living without him, but I still hated him for some time after his funeral. Sousuke, can you imagine how hurtful it was? To feel that way?"

Saying so, she turned to him. Her gaze pierced him. She looked so weary and tired.

He looked away.

She continued on, "Your father used to tell me funny stories. I don't remember how the joke goes, but he would say that mermaids are real, and that they saved his life once. You know, when... when I heard the boat you were on sunk, I, oh God, I wished that mermaids are more than just your father's tall tales and... and... they'd show up to save you."

Her voice gradually grew hoarse and choked with sobs. Sousuke reached for her shoulder.

"Mom..."

She took his hand, squeezing it tightly. "Sousuke. Are you in pain? Does holding it back hurts?"

"I..."

"I keep wondering if you have bad dreams about it. If... if you are suffering from the memories."

"I don't."

"Please don't lie."

"No, I'm telling the truth here. I do dream about it, about the disaster. I see those people die over and over again."

"Oh, God..."

She truly broke down crying this time. Sousuke quickly moved away from his seat and bent his knees in front of her. He grabbed her hands and talked with the best soothing voice he could make.

"Mom, it's okay. They were bad dreams, but... but I'm fine. I... somebody always comes for me at the end of it. Somebody always saves me."

"Somebody?"

"Yeah. A beautiful girl. She can walk on water. Perhaps an angel or water nymph. I know it sounds silly, but, it's true. I was saved... I mean, in my dream, she saves my life, as many times as I'm about to lose it."

His mother looked at him with a blank, confused expression on her face. She seemed to be trying to discern his words; most likely wondering about his intent in telling her such tale. Just like Aoba did this early morning.

 _Again_.

"Mom, I'm sorry. Just... just forget what I just said."

His mother hastily raised her hand. "No, no. I..."

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Sounds of rapidly approaching footsteps started them both.

"Good afternoon!" came a cheerful voice, following the front door being slid open. There she was. Journalist Aoba was standing under their door, her wide smile quickly fell, replaced by nervous grin.

"Uh... am I interrupting something?" she asked sheepishly.

* * *

 **The Aftermath**

Ryuuga Island. Very few people knew the name of the island and fewer still knew its location. The place was practically a modern day myth. It didn't exist on common maps, printed or digital alike. All administrative papers regarding it were few and saved in the deepest archive of a conglomerate corporation with the highest level of clearance necessary to access it. Even then, if you manage to dig up that deep, all you'll fine was a data of a private island, long abandoned after a resort project came to a halt for various reasons.

Planes seldom passed on its sky. Not that it mattered much, since from above, the island was nothing but a green area. A small chunk of land in the middle of Pacific overgrown with all manners of tropical vegetative. However, it was all camouflage. Trees and bushes had been planted on buildings and the gaps were covered by layer of thin glass capable of projecting green images.

Built on and under the island was a facility befitting standard military base. Living barracks, communication office, factory, training fields, and medical center stood in a patterned structure; utilizing all the small plots provided by the island to its maximum effectiveness.

At the moment in the medical center, on the bench down the hall leading to the special care room, Haruna sat silently in wait. It had been nearly three hours since the door was closed and yet, there was no sign of anybody coming out.

 _Ah, Ushio-san._

Haruna recalled the event in her memory like reeling back films. Their ambush had been successful. The He-class light cruiser had received torpedoes that shredded its legs and a good shot from Yuubari that sunk it on its back, very soon after the battle started. The Ri-class hadn't last long under her and Takao's bombardment.

The Wo-class had been tougher to fight, what with being a flagship aircraft carrier. However, Kaga and her "kids" had managed to prevent her from gaining air superiority, later opening wide enough opportunity for Shiranui to sped around her back and deliver a barrage of shots at her head.

Perhaps having taken down the big guys had lowered their guards. And it was most likely nothing but dumb bad luck that one dying I-class destroyer still had enough strength to make a suicidal attack. Like a dolphin it jumped, ramming its head on Ushio's stomach and bit on her thigh as she staggered. It had all happened so fast; Ushio had already fallen before Haruna could warn her.

 _And I told her that everything would be fine..._

Haruna clenched her fists as she felt tears forming behind her eyes.

"Haruna," called a heavy authoritative voice. Haruna jumped in surprise as she whipped her head towards the voice.

A young woman she recognized was standing over her; arms folding under chest, face set into a stern frown.

"A-Ah! N-Nagato-san... D-do you need something?"

She only nodded solemnly at Haruna's question. The strongest shipgirl currently in existence and their de-facto leader, Nagato. A tall woman with long black hair and strikingly sharp eyes.

"I didn't see you anywhere. Have you been here since your return? Are you alright?"

"Ah, yes. Haruna is alright... it's just... I'm worried about Ushio-san."

"Akashi and her team are working on her now. We'll learn of her condition eventually. There's no need for you to sit here and neglect your responsibilities. I've received your report from Shiranui, but I also need you to elaborate on that as the flagship."

Haruna looked down in embarrassment.

"Have you had lunch?" asked Nagato.

"No. Not yet."

"See to it, then have some rest. There might be more battle tomorrow."

"Yes, ma'am."

Nagato released a huff. "What happened to Ushio was your responsibility as the one in charge, but it wasn't solely your fault. You owe her an apology but you don't owe yourself a self-loathing."

"I told her that everything would be fine."

"Then make sure it will, after this."

"How?"

"By stop being too hard on yourself. You are one of the few battleships there are, so you'll be put in charge for most of the time. Keep your condition on top at any time."

Haruna smiled and tried to say yes. However, it felt wrong to do so when all manners of negative emotions were swirling about her. Fear, disappointment, doubts. She looked at Nagato who was gazing at the floor intently, probably thinking of their next operation. Who were available, what tactic to use, and how much would it cost; Haruna imagined.

"Nagato-san...?"

"Yes?"

"Is being on top condition at any time enough to make sure that everything would be fine?"

"Just get to the point, Haruna."

 _She's really sharp-minded_. Haruna decided to be blunt.

"We cannot keep this up, Nagato-san. The enemies grow in number, and are likely to get stronger as well. This past three weeks alone, several abyssal fleet have advanced past our notice and done damages. Meanwhile, we are stuck with our current group and our force will only keep declining."

Nagato didn't immediately respond. She gave Haruna a long, measuring look. In turn, Haruna was unflinching.

 _I'm on point, and she knows it._

Finally, Nagato broke the eye contact and sighed. "I see that you've noticed. Yamato has voiced the same concern the other day. Currently we are considering the options we have."

"May I know what those are?"

"Actually, there's only one possible way this war can end with our victory..." Nagato paused, her frown deepened. "... We have to reveal everything to the humanity at large."

"Everything as in...?"

"The Abyssals, our existence, the Ulysses Project, and the Pacific Initiative."

Suddenly a heaviness fell over Haruna's shoulders. It sent shivers down her back and coldness in her stomach. She gulped. What Nagato had said had had crossed her mind from time to time, but to actually hear it was something entirely different. Her mind wandered, imagining what would be the outcome of such act, and she immediately pulled it back, leaving her thoughts unfinished.

For now, let the future stay uncertain.

"That would change a lot of things..." she said.

"It would change everything," corrected Nagato. "There's no telling how the world would react when they find out that apocalypse is closing in."

"Please don't talk like that, Nagato-san. There's still hope, and the world is still standing. Humanity's barely scratched."

"I hope every one of us can keep that way of thinking, Haruna. I swear that I do."

"So... have you and Yamato-san decided on what to do about it?"

"Nothing's set in stone yet. Too many variables to calculate. We're still thinking of what would be the best way, and how and when to do it."

 _Whatever their decision is, we have to carry it out quickly. And the time is running out for us._

As she pondered on what to say next, Haruna heard the door down the hall opened. She stood and hurried over to look in. Walking out to the hallway with even pace was Akashi, dressed in green surgeon robes over her usual outfit. Haruna reflexively clenched her hand over her chest. Her heartbeats was hard; it practically threatened to burst her veins.

Pulling down the white mask over her mouth and nose, Akashi took the initiative to raise her hand, halting Haruna from rushing her over with questions. "I'm done with reconnecting all of Ushio-chan's damaged circuits and fixing the flow of her mana. All we can do now is to wait for the medicine to take effect. Her wounds should fully regrow overnight as her vitals are stable."

Just to make sure, Haruna asked, "Then, Ushio-san is alright?"

Akashi shrugged and smiled. "Pray for it. Though, I do think she's doing really well."

"Thank goodness..."

"Good work, Akashi," said Nagato as Haruna let out a long sigh of relief. "You can rest now, you look tired."

Akashi grunted in agreement. She flexed her neck left and right, producing loud pops. "Yeah, feeling sore here. If anyone need speedy repair, please tell them I'm sorry but I'll be unavailable till tomorrow. My mana is running low."

Nagato nodded. "I understand," she said.

"Uh, Akashi-san," said Haruna. "Can I see Ushio-san?"

Akashi answered quickly like she had anticipated such askance. "Only over the glass pane, okay?"

Then off she went. Haruna muttered a quick thank you -which Akashi brushed off with a hand wave- and headed into the room. Nagato followed her.

The room had other rooms, a surgery room, a preparation room, and a resting room. They were separated by thin walls and large glass pane. Haruna peered through the only one with the curtain undone to find a sleeping Ushio.

Lying on the bed with breathing apparatus over her mouth and nose, Ushio seemed peaceful like a infant. Far better to the heart than her condition this morning where her face contorted in pain and her mouth constantly letting out agonized whimpers. Haruna recalled how frantic she had been, trying to sooth the poor destroyer while she could hardly kept herself from tearing up.

"I'm sorry, Ushio-san..." whispered Haruna, leaving white mist on the glass's surface. "Please get well soon..."

"She'll get through this," said Nagato, who was standing next her. "Paraphrasing Kaga, she's an excellent kid."

"That she is. She is very brave."

"If so, then you can't give up on her because of this, Haruna. You have to continue to be her mentor, to be her leader in battles."

 _You just can't let any chance to lecture me come to pass, can you, Nagato-san?_

 _... wait._

"She would need guidance and courage to continue her duties as ship girl. I believe you can provide her those."

Nagato's words rang a bell in Haruna. Something had clicked within her, the feeling you get when your hand finally presses the lamp switch after groping around in the dark. She asked herself: who was her mentor, and the mentor of her mentor? Who gave the first ship girls the courage and guidance required to put their lives on the line?

Her thoughts went to the matter she had discussed with Nagato earlier. About revealing the truth to the world. Everything was so full of uncertainty because no one was sure on how people would react to such big thing. Now what if there existed somebody who could initiate it? Someone to put trust in the heart of humanity?

"Nagato-san...?"

"Huh?"

"Haruna... Haruna thinks... I mean, I think, I know what we need to start it..."

"Start what?"

"The reveal. To everything."

Nagato blinked. She immediately caught on to what Haruna was talking about, but still not quite sure. "What...?"

Haruna had never been feeling so certain of herself as she answered, "We need to find ourselves an Admiral."

\- end of chapter -

* * *

 **Notes:** A WILD SUPERSIZE CHAPTER APPEARS!

Yeah, ship girls in this universe are created by magic and machinery. Too much Nasuverse vibes? You betcha! Also, if you think that the formation at the opening battle makes little sense, trust me, it is on purpose. I'm struggling at working the explanation into the narrative, so maybe later.

I didn't plan this to be _Kancolle: The Origins_. I got all the ideas of actions, plot twists, settings, and mythologies as I wrote. That's why this chapter took so long to complete. Other than my nursing the pain of failing to get Umikaze, I also had to let my imagination cool down, so that when the time comes where I have to kill my darlings, I can kill my darlings.

So many cool things I want to put in this chapter, so many hindrance to make the story flow naturally. I had to restrain myself, to carefully pick what's needed and what's not, what makes sense and what doesn't. I hope I've at least made the end result passable to read.

Thanks for tuning in, especially if you read all this way down. Tell me what you think in your review. Constructive criticisms are very much welcomed. See ya till the next chapter!


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